Arthur Romine thought something was unusual when he found what appeared to be a miscolored black widow spider. He found it a couple of weeks ago while working in the northern part of the county in Tuleta. An Internet search revealed that this was indeed a brown widow spider. This is considered an invasive species to the area, being native to South Africa and not Texas. Its venom is more potent than that of a black widow, but the spider actually injects less of it, meaning those bitten suffer less severe cramping and nausea. Its habitat preference is similar to that of the black widow, so residents should keep a watchful eye. The spider was transferred to the U.S. through Florida, and is believed to have become established in the U.S. by attaching to the bottom of vehicles.